Prof Dan Kgwadi

Message from

the vice-chancellor

We are now standing on the threshold of a new era at the NWU.

 

The event that led to the dawn of this new era was the approval of a new strategy and structure for the NWU by the NWU Council at their meeting of 20 November 2015.

 

This marks an important turning point in the history of the university. Let there be no doubt about its significance.

 

The process so far

 

I am proud to say that robust inputs from all our stakeholders, including formal alumni structures, played an important role in getting to this point. This is after all a university – a community of scholars; one would not expect significant changes to occur without probing questions being asked.

 

In the end unanimous decisions were reached on all the really important issues. One can thus say that the process of formulating a new strategy and structure was a resounding vote of confidence in our capacity to be agents of change.

 

“The NWU should become a place where we can all grow in a creative environment of diversity of ideas and approaches.”Looking ahead

 

In the months that follow, the executive team and I will spell out what this new strategy and structure entails, recognising that much will still have to be discussed and agreed upon in respect of execution and implementation. A strategy is not an operational plan. That will follow.

But there should not be any misunderstanding as to the implications of our new direction. It will not be “business as usual”.

 

Leaving our comfort zones

 

To be an institution of superior academic excellence, to be an internationally recognised university in Africa, distinguished for engaged scholarship and cutting-edge research, means to challenge our comfort zones.

 

We have to break with old paradigms and mental models and embrace new ones. The NWU should become a place where we can all grow in a creative environment of diversity of ideas and approaches. This will be our biggest challenge for 2016 and the years to come.

 

I know that we can count on your support when we tackle the exciting challenges waiting in 2016. After all, we have the same goal – we want to see the NWU grow and prosper.

 

Kind regards,

​

Prof Dan Kgwadi

Vice-Chancellor